Tag Archives: birding

Winter Break

Posted on February 16, 2021 by rivertoprambles

The nasally, low-pitched notes of the nuthatch enter through my bedroom window (open even in winter and appreciated from beneath the comforters) and I sense my own reawakening. The white-breasted’s wha-wha-wha notes enter non-committedly, sliding in softly from the maples … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged birding, hiking, home, nature, photos, poetry, Spring, transitions, winter, writing | 27 Comments

Two Ravens (Twa Corbies)

Posted on January 5, 2021 by rivertoprambles

The first days of the new year were an icy mess, although I still had a pleasant walk on the trail developed near the house. It’s been years since I’ve kept a feeder in the yard, but I still need … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged birding, birds, hiking, myths, nature, poetry, Raven, solitude, Twa Corbies, winter, writing | 21 Comments

Owl Farm (Redux)

Posted on October 7, 2020 by rivertoprambles

This will be a short post that reflects a busy time here in the shire. I’ve been working feverishly on a new book (Covid-free!), helping with the house improvement projects where I’m able, prepping for a short visit to Cape … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged autumn, birding, country photos, environment, hiking, homestead, nature, Owl Farm, poetry, writing | 27 Comments

“Fishing and Eating in Saloons”

Posted on September 12, 2020 by rivertoprambles

[Part 4, the last in my Rocky Mountains series for 2020.] The sportswriter Red Smith and his small son were fishing in the north woods long ago and would customarily break for lunch in a local tavern. At one point, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged bears, birding, camping, Devils Tower, eating, fishing, Gallatin, Medicine Wheel, native culture, nature, rock formations, Rocky Mountains, saloons, Shoshone River, travel, writing, Yellowstone | 18 Comments

Yellowstone Getaways

Posted on September 4, 2020 by rivertoprambles

[Part 3 of a 4-part series that reflects a recent Rocky Mountain road trip with my daughter.] Sandhill cranes fed near the roadway to the geyser basins. We took a morning hike to Fairy Falls, a columnar drop of 197 … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged birding, bison, caddis, camping, cutthroat, family, fishing, friendship, getaways, geysers, hiking, Madison River, nature, writing, Yellowstone Park | 16 Comments

Mountain Times, Colorado

Posted on August 24, 2020 by rivertoprambles

[The first in a 4-part series that reflects a recent road trip, camping with my daughter through the mountains of Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. I hope you enjoy the ride.] Our first Colorado night was spent in Monument at Terry’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Arkansas River, birding, camping, Colorado, Crystal River, fishing, Frying Pan, Garden of the Gods, nature, Roaring Fork, Rocky Mountains, South Platte, tenting, travel | 20 Comments

The Hemlock Grove

Posted on July 31, 2020 by rivertoprambles

Preparing for a long road trip into western places where I like to believe that a fly-fishing spirit can really soar at times like this, it’s good to remind myself that one needn’t go far in order to find a … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged birding, hemlocks, hermit thrush, In the Hemlocks, John Burroughs, naturalist, nature, poetry, solitude, song, Spirit, travel, writing | 28 Comments

Narragansett

Posted on July 10, 2020 by rivertoprambles

My quest for saltwater species taken with a fly rod continued to elude me, defying all odds, on coastal Rhode Island. There were no fish seen or caught in my pleasant trials along Quonnie Pond, at the sand bar on … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged bay, birding, fishing, high hills, hiking, Independence Day, Narragansett Bay, nature, perfect skunk, poetry, Rhode Island, travel, Trustom Pond NWR, writing | 15 Comments

Quonnie Pond (R.I.)

Posted on October 11, 2018 by rivertoprambles

Quonochontaug Pond, or “Quonnie Pond,” as it’s known to many locals, is a salt lagoon (or lake) located in southern Rhode Island. The pond, with its 4.5 mile shoreline, became my touchstone for saltwater fly-fishing in the state when I … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Atlantic, birding, fly-fishing, nature, Newport, photography, Providence, Quonochontaug, Rhode Island, salt marsh, saltwater fishing, sanctuary, striped bass, Touchstone | 10 Comments

Old Man Knows Good Beer

Posted on June 19, 2018 by rivertoprambles

The work week was winding down; I was standing at the check-out counter with a six of a favorite IPA, thinking of the fly-fishing prospects for the weekend and a slew of odd jobs that required doing before the long … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged beer, birding, bobolinks, choices, fly-fishing, friendship, hiking, knowledge, nature, old age, Rocky Mountains, travel, whip-poor-will | 22 Comments